Lhp Wins Privacy Wall Battle

December 23, 2001|By David Volz Special Correspondent

Lighthouse Point — A special master has upheld a decision by the City Commission that the city can enforce a code limiting the height of privacy walls near waterways to 3 feet and terrace walls that are 75 percent see-through to 31/2 feet.

The ruling means that a wall at a home being developed by Turnkey Properties and others like it in Lighthouse Point must come down.

The decision follows contention between Remi Developers and Joseph Lanzaro, a homeowner on Northeast 27th Street, about the height of the wall and the affect on ocean views. The wall was found to be too high. At several meetings over the summer, some residents asked the City Commission to change the code to allow for more privacy while others said higher walls would spoil views of the ocean and waterways.

"I am glad the special master upheld the city's code," City Commissioner Mike Long said. "This is something we supported all along and Remi will now have to remove the wall to comply with the code."

City Commissioner George Labelle also expressed support for the ruling.

"We expected this from the special master," he said. "I think the decision was in line with the code."

The fact that such walls could block views was a problem that needed to be corrected, Commissioner Fred Schorr said.

"I believe all the walls should come down. They are in violation of the city's code and they block people's views and sea breezes," he said.

A Remi representative who did not want to be identified because of possible appeals said that the developer will demolish three walls that were found to violate the city code.